[pct-l] Beautiful Belden

[Brett Tucker" <blisterfree@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Brett Tucker)]

> Belden is a really lousy place but you have to go right
> through there, so partake of what's available. The PO is
> not in Belden anymore; it's a mile away west on the hwy,
> closed on weekends, and has short hours. The resort didn't
> meet electrical codes and has slowly been up-grading,
> so laundry and water heater for public showers has been
> non-existent for two years. Maybe they'll fix it this year!

Belden Town is an odd place, for sure, but I wouldn't write it off entirely.
There's a nice restaurant attached to the complex of stores, and it offers
great outdoor seating by the river. In 2000, there was coin-op laundry
available in a separate building all of 200 ft. from the store/restaurant,
as well as free showers. The cabins are all of 200 ft. in the other
direction, and although they do not qualify as rustic cabins, nonetheless
each does offer a roof and bed. Or follow my cheap lead and sleep out along
the sandy embankment above the river. Either way, the non-stop railroad
traffic harkens back to Tehachapi and other such nights of train-induced
insomnia.

Admittedly the train issue might be a sticking point, but luckily a
Greyhound bus makes one daily run back and forth along the main route to
Quincy. And as I recall, on the way back it drops you off by the post
office, about a mile west of the Belden complex. The PCT continues north in
between the PO area and Belden complex. So theoretically one could send a
maildrop to Belden, decide on impulse upon arrival to take the bus to
Quincy, sort through the maildrop from the comfort of a real motel room,
take the bus back the next morning after a nice breakfast, mail off
postcards, and hit the trail, all without much more off-trail mileage than
if having remained at Belden. Without bus service, Quincy becomes less
practical, since hitchhiking along the main road is extremely challenging.

I hear the Belden Resort staff t-shirts are becoming collector's items among
PCT hikers. (Actually, I haven't heard this.)

- blisterfree